ment of heaven; and a glad and glorious sight it ever is! But there is a deeper blessing given to the pure in heart, even that they shall see God not in His works only, but in Himself; that they shall know Him and shall love Him, not only as the Almighty Maker of this glorious Universe, but in His higher glory still, as the Almighty Redeemer of man's offending soul.

This Psalm, which is appointed for Christmas-day, has much in common with the eighth Psalm, and was probably written by David at the same period of his life. The eighth Psalm, however, contemplates the glory of the skies as manifested in the night, when the sun is absent, while the present one rather dwells upon the beauty and clearness of day, and the power and brightness of that greater light which God appointed to rule the day. Hence it is fitly chosen for the Nativity of Him Who was 'a Light to lighten the nations.' The root of the Hebrew word in Gen. i. 16 which is rendered "to rule" the day and the night, has likewise the meaning of "to chant a mystical song for;" and from this double meaning of the word, the thoughts which the first verses of the Psalm contain perhaps first took their rise. But the heathens also used to speak of the harmonies of the heavens and the music of the spheres, which only the purified soul could hear. The opening of the Psalm appears to describe the glory of God in the material world, while in the latter half the prophet seems to be led on to His glory in the spiritual world as revealed by His Law: but the apostle St. Paul, by his applying the fourth verse of the Psalm to the preaching of the Gospel throughout the world by the apostles, (Rom. x. 18,) very plainly teaches us that the glory of God in creation cannot be disconnected from His glory in redemption; that the worlds of nature and of grace are not things to be divided and disunited, but that their laws and glories are woven into and connected the one with the other. From this the Christian Church may learn the lesson, that science, as it is called, and religion, are not to be separated; but that natural and revealed truth are to be taken as joined most closely by Him from Whom they both proceed. There is no salvation in the mere knowledge of God's laws in the universe of matter, unless they guide us on to the higher knowledge of those laws of the universe of spirits, whose eternal effect is purity of heart.

ble

1. THE Lord hear thee in the day of trouthe Name of the God of Jacob defend

thee;

2. Send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion;

We are all soldiers. Every baptized man is sworn to fight manfully under Christ's banner. Day by day he has to go out to battle with his enemies, who are the enemies of his Master too. This, then, is the prayer of the Church for each one of us, and her blessing for each one of us-that in the day of conflict and of trial, He may hear us and may help us, Who Himself went forth to combat with 'the strong man armed,' and overcame him. His name, by which we are known, will be a surer defence than any other arms. He watches us from His eternal throne, and succours us with His grace, if our foesthat is, our own sins-press too hard upon us; and when our resolution wavers, and our hearts grow weary, and the time seems long, He cheers us again with a share of His own Almighty strength, by the Sacrament from His altar, and the means of grace that are within His Church.

3. Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt-sacrifice;

4. Grant thee thy heart's desire and fulfil all thy mind.

It was an old custom that they who fought should

offer a sacrifice before they began the battle; and we, if we would conquer, must do so too-must 'offer ourselves, our souls and bodies,' as a living sacrifice to Him Who offered Himself for us. So may we rely upon His grace with confidence. He will not forget our prayers; He will not despise our penitence. Let the desire of our hearts be for the things belonging to the Spirit,' and He will not fail to grant it; let our minds be set upon righteousness, and He will fulfil their longings.

5. We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and triumph in the Name of the Lord our God: the Lord perform all thy petitions.

The petition which the Church makes for the soldier of Christ at his baptism is, that he may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh.' But the fight is not over in a day. It is not by one blow that he can conquer. Only as time goes on, and he sees how his eternal Lord is ready to answer all his prayers, is he able to indulge in thoughts of hope. It is not till the fight is fought and won, that he can fully see how all his shoutings of triumph can have but his Lord's salvation for their theme, and that His Name alone can be inscribed on his flag of victory.

6. Now know I, that the Lord helpeth His Anointed, and will hear him from His holy heaven even with the wholesome strength of His right hand.

There was a time when Christ, the Captain of our salvation, fought and endured, not for His own sake, but for ours; and dark and fearful was the conflict He went through. Not till we ourselves have experienced what the power of the tempter is, and have resisted and overcome him, can we enter into the awfulness of the Saviour's struggle in Gethsemane, when 'being in an agony He prayed more earnestly,' and the angel appeared unto Him from heaven strengthening Him.' In Him Who conquered then, we conquer now; and He Who heard and helped His Anointed then, will hear and help us now.

7. Some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God.

8. They are brought down, and fallen but we are risen, and stand upright.

Some trust in themselves, in their own power, their own pride, their own passion, when they are called to contend with the enemy of souls. But these ever have failed, and ever will fail, when the hour of temptation comes. Sin is far stronger than

man unaided by grace: he quickly falls before it; his pride is soon brought down, and he is tied and bound with its bitter chain. But faith hath surer wheels than pride; and prayer will carry us where power must fall. The memory of the Cross, and of Him Who died thereon, will put to flight the hosts of the evil one, and in the mightiness of our risen Lord we shall rise conquerors over both sin and death,

and shall see at last Satan trampled beneath the feet of God's elect.

9. Save, Lord, and hear us, O King of heaven when we call upon Thee.

LXX. O Lord save the king:

And hear us when we call upon Thee.

Meanwhile we must pray without ceasing. We have a King eternal in the heavens, Whose power to save is greater even than our need of salvation, and Whose willingness to hear far outruns our wish to pray. Ask we of Him, and we shall always most surely have, both succour and safety and victory.

This too bears the title of a Psalm of David. It has been sometimes considered to be a prophetic anticipation of Sennacherib's invasion of Jerusalem, and of the prayer of Hezekiah and of his people for deliverance. It is more probably, in its literal sense, a devout and holy battle-song composed by David to be chanted by his armies when they marched with their king to war against their foes, especially, perhaps, against the Ammonites and Syrians, (2 Sam. chap. x.). It may well be considered to refer to the spiritual David, and to the soldiers of His army, who form the Church Militant on earth.

FOR ASCENSION-DAY.

PSALM XXI. Domine, in virtute Tua.

1. THE King shall rejoice in Thy strength, exceeding glad shall he be of Thy

O Lord salvation.

2. Thou hast given him his heart's desire: and hast not denied him the request of his lips.

If the men of Galilee, who stood upon the mount